1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dispensing devices for manually emptying the paste contents from collapsible tubes such as toothpaste tubes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dispensers for manually emptying the paste contents from toothpaste tubes are well known. Such dispensers generally comprise a ceramic stand, and a manually-turnable key for coiling the tube. The key is typically either journalled in holes formed in the ceramic stand, or spring-mounted on the stand.
However, the known toothpaste dispensers have not proven to be altogether satisfactory in use. One source of dissatisfaction is that the ceramic stand is prone to breakage due to the brittle nature of the ceramic material. This is particularly true for the bathroom environment where had sink and floor surfaces are common.
Another major drawback is that the known dispensers do not substantially empty the paste contents from the toothpaste tube. The coiled tubular portion is generally not tightly wrapped around the key, i.e. not fully squeezed, thereby resulting in lost paste and inefficient operation.